Reading, media, community links, and the program's policies and tools.

Reading and watching

We have compiled a Kinky Library which is open to anyone. (We tried to link to non-amazon stores where possible)

Independent creators worth watching, on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Their content is educational and made for adults. We list them as a starting point, not an endorsement of everything they post.

From our community

• LDG (San Francisco Leathermen's Discussion Group). Our parent group records many of its monthly kink and leather programs, from skills demos to panels and interviews. The channel has been taken down and restored before, so the video archive on their site is the reliable home.
• Watts The Safeword. An all-inclusive LGBTQ+ sex education and BDSM lifestyle channel from Pup Amp and Mr. Kristofer, breaking down stigma and answering questions in a fun, welcoming way. Very much part of this community. Website and podcast.
• On Guard Salon. Experienced leathermen talking through community history, protocol, and the issues facing the kink and leather world today, in a relaxed salon format.

Creators worth following

• Evie Lupine. A peer educator covering BDSM, submission, petplay, rope, and relationships for all experience levels, with a calm, thoughtful approach.
• Sunny Megatron. An award-winning clinical sexologist and kink educator, with sex tips, tours, toy reviews, and a build-your-own-adventure take on kink. TikTok · Website.
• Stefani Goerlich (Bound Together Counseling). A kink-affirming therapist and author of The Leather Couch, sharing clinical, affirming perspectives on kink, relationships, and mental health.

Community organizations and events

Groups, spaces, and events across the Bay Area and beyond, with a little about what each one is.

Groups and clubs

• San Francisco Leathermen's Discussion Group (LDG). Our parent group. Monthly education and discussion for the men's leather and kink community since 1996.
• The 15 Association. A long-running membership club that hosts men's SM and leather play parties.
• ONYX Northwest. A brotherhood of leathermen of color and their allies across the Northwest.
• GearUp. A community and weekend for gear and fetish enthusiasts.
• Rope Burn SF. A group for rope bondage practice and learning.
• Deep State. A Bay Area erotic-hypnosis community. On Telegram, so ask program leadership for an invite.
• SF K9 Unit. A Bay Area club for pups, handlers, and human-canine play.
• TMK, Transmasc Kinksters. A brotherhood of trans guys in kink and leather. Ask program leadership for a contact.
• SF Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District. The city-recognized district preserving SF's leather history, spaces, and community.

Event spaces and retail

• Mr. S Leather. The iconic SF leather and fetish gear store.
• Transform 1060. A community event and play space at 1060 Folsom, used for many program meetings.
• Paradox, and its sister space Stopgap. SF queer and kink event and play spaces.
• Folsom Street Events. The nonprofit that produces Folsom Street Fair and Up Your Alley.

Recurring events

• Eagle Beer Bust. The Sunday-afternoon beer bust at the SF Eagle, a leather-bar institution and frequent cohort hangout.
• CODE at The Edge. A gear and cruise night at The Edge in the Castro.
• Black, Brown and Kinky. A bar night at Powerhouse centering kinksters of color.
• BLUF SF. Uniform and leather nights from the Breeches and Leather Uniform Fan Club.

Annual events

• Mr. SF Leather. The city's leather title contest.
• Up Your Alley (Dore Alley). The smaller, more local leather street fair, in late July.
• Folsom Street Fair. The world's largest leather and kink street fair, the last Sunday of September.
• SF Pride. The city's Pride festival and parade, in June.
• IML, International Mr. Leather. The major leather contest and weekend, in Chicago.
• MAL, Mid-Atlantic Leather. The big January leather weekend, in Washington DC.

Play parties and play weekends

Where the community gathers to play. Most ask for membership, a ticket, or an invite, so check each group's site for how to attend.

• GearUp Weekend. A full play weekend for gear and fetish enthusiasts. A play party in November 2026, and the full weekend in June 2027.
• Bootcamp. The 15 Association's play weekend, held in June. The 15 also runs monthly play parties, listed on their website.
• Rope Burn SF. Group, education, and play: bar nights alongside one-off and intensive multi-session classes.
• ONYX Northwest. A patched club for leathermen of color, with periodic play parties.
• CLAW. Cleveland Leather Annual Weekend, a major spring leather play weekend, recently relocated to Columbus. Usually held in April.
• CLAW LA. The same organization's Los Angeles Leather Getaway, a play weekend held over Thanksgiving.

Program policies and safety

• Safety and Support, how support and confidential channels work, and how background checks protect the program.
• Equity and Belonging.

Questions or ideas for the program? Email the administrator at MentorProgram@sfldg.org.